me<\/a> to preview tonight’s Kings\/Blazers match-up.<\/p>\n1. Match-up to watch?
\n<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nSean Highkin: <\/strong>The three bigs with Marcus in their names. DeMarcus Cousins is a double-double machine, and should spend time tonight both defending LaMarcus Aldridge and hustling for boards with Marcus Camby.\u00a0
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nNoam Schiller:\u00a0<\/strong> Gerald Wallace vs. Sacramento’s small forwards. Wallace has been an energy-provider for a Blazers team that typically lacked anything of the sort playing away from home. If Crash can set the tone early against what has been by far the worst position in the Kings’ rotation, the Blazers can use the momentum to temporarily vanquish their road woes.<\/p>\nJonathan Santiago: \u00a0<\/strong>Tyreke Evans versus Portland’s defense. \u00a0He struggled scoring in their last meeting, finishing with only nine points on 2-of-10 shooting from the field. \u00a0If he attacks the Blazers defense like he says he can, it can really open up the floor for the Kings on offense.<\/p>\n2.\u00a0Stat that decides the game…<\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nSean Highkin:\u00a0<\/strong>Points off turnovers. Both of these teams have been turnover-happy of late, so this game could come down to who can capitalize on these mistakes more.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nNoam Schiller:\u00a0<\/strong> The rebounding battle. The Kings have very little going for them, but they have been crushing opponents left and right on the offensive boards.\u00a0 But meet Marcus Camby, gobbling one of every three defensive rebounds this season. If Camby takes away the Kings’ second chances, they might be hard pressed for offense.<\/p>\nJonathan Santiago: \u00a0 <\/strong>How many rebounds LaMarcus Aldridge gets. \u00a0Despite an off-shooting night, he finished with 16 boards, including nine on the offensive glass, against Sacramento last week. \u00a0He averages about nine total per contest. \u00a0The Kings can’t let him find other ways to beat them if they slow down his scoring.<\/p>\n3.\u00a0Better Seattle sixth man right now: Jamal Crawford or Isaiah Thomas?<\/strong>
\n<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nSean Highkin:\u00a0<\/strong>I’ll take Crawford, especially against teams of Sacramento’s caliber. He seems to really light it up in blowouts. Plus, Marcus Thornton may return tonight, which will likely result in Thomas’ minutes being cut.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nNoam Schiller:\u00a0<\/strong> Thomas breaks down defense by slipping around and under them towards the hoop, using the extra space to create for himself and others; Crawford,\u00a0when he’s not preoccupied with volcanic eruptions in human form,\u00a0mutilates ankles for sport. But despite Crawford’s early slump, until Thomas can consistently shoot above gigantic paint dwellers, he just can’t compete with Jamal’s firepower.<\/p>\nJonathan Santiago:\u00a0 <\/strong>Crawford is the more experienced player. \u00a0But since we’re talking right now, I’d rather have Thomas. \u00a0Thomas does a little bit of everything for the Kings (pass, score and lead) while the Blazers basically use Crawford as a scorer off the bench.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Examining tonight’s match-up between the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trailblazers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[610259261],"tags":[5204276,610259771,522941,938774,610259429,15283471,610259423,610259059,1363183,813416,4764763,1070291,1419893,2629175,3162321],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Game 22 Preview: Kings vs. Trailblazers - The Sports Daily<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n